[0:08] .

[0:10] >>.

[0:13] >>commissioner bastien:

[0:15] >>commissioner bermudez:

[0:16] present.

[0:18] >>commissioner regalado:

[0:19] >>commissioner gilbert:

[0:34] >> 4 members present, we have a

[0:34] quorum.

[0:36] >>commissioner gilbert:

[0:43] [Inaudible]

[0:51] >> pledge of allegiance to the

[0:52] flag of the united states of

[0:54] america and to the republic for

[0:55] which it stands one nation

[0:57] under GOD indivisible with

[1:00] liberty and justice for all.

[1:04] >>commissioner gilbert: a

[1:06] reasonable opportunity to be

[1:10] heard is open, if you have

[1:11] business comments regarding an

[1:17] agenda item you would like to

[1:19] be heard on please approach the

[1:21] podium, give me your name

[1:22] address and I will give you two

[1:24] minutes and then we will be

[1:27] done with it.

[1:30] No one approaching, reasonable

[1:32] opportunity to be heard is now

[1:33] closed, MADAM Attorney.

[1:35] >> a motion to set the agenda

[1:37] will be in order.

[1:38] >>commissioner gilbert: moved

[1:44] by commissioner bastien, second

[1:46] by commissioner regalado, all

[1:47] those in favor say aye, all

[1:49] those opposed, so the agenda

[1:51] adopted, first order of

[1:51] business.

[1:53] >> there are no additional

[1:54] changes your agenda other than

[1:56] those on the changes agenda

[2:08] which include the adoption of

[2:09] 1g2 supplement, 1g1.

[2:11] >>chair: public hearing is

[2:11] open.

[2:13] >> MAY I read the title?

[2:15] 1g1 relates to passenger motor

[2:18] vehicles amending section 31

[2:20] 102107 of the code of miami

[2:22] florida revising vehicle age

[2:23] climates for motor carrier

[2:26] vehicles and making technical

[2:28] conforming changes providing

[2:29] severability and an effective

[2:32] date, 1g1 is a public hearing.

[2:33] >>chair: public hearing is

[2:35] open, anyone wish to be heard

[2:40] on 1g1, public hearing is

[2:40] close.

[2:42] I see you, you don't want to

[2:42] speak?

[3:02] You looked like you did.

[3:03] >>commissioner regalado: I want

[3:05] to hear from the

[3:06] administration, I voted against

[3:07] this one.

[3:09] It was presented to the board

[3:11] and one of the reasons is it

[3:12] could negatively impact the

[3:14] city of miami so I know they

[3:15] have older trolleys.

[3:17] This was my understanding from

[3:19] the sponsor was modeled after

[3:20] something past by coral gables

[3:22] but obviously there's a cost

[3:24] associated with these

[3:25] requirements so I want to hear

[3:33] from staff in terms of any

[3:35] changes that have been made to

[3:36] the item and if we've talked to

[3:38] our partners about potentially

[3:40] this costing them because the

[3:42] city of miami owns their

[3:43] trolleys, a lot of them are

[3:45] older than this and also how

[3:46] would it impact us?

[3:48] >> thank you through the chair,

[3:50] stacy miller department of

[3:52] transportation and public works

[3:53] and I've spoken with

[3:55] commissioner tran seven she is

[3:56] willing to make a friendly

[3:58] amendment to this item.

[3:59] Unfortunately she's not here

[4:01] now, she will be working with

[4:02] the attorney's office to make

[4:03] this modification.

[4:05] I don't want to speak out of

[4:06] turn.

[4:08] It hasn't been proffered yet.

[4:09] >>chair: on asking them to

[4:11] speak out of turn.

[4:13] >>commissioner regalado: is a

[4:14] sunshine meeting so we are all

[4:15] good.

[4:18] >>chair: there is no thing

[4:20] against telling me what an

[4:21] amendment is in a properly

[4:23] noticed meeting or I can make

[4:24] the amendment for her.

[4:26] >> I've not received that

[4:27] communication yet.

[4:32] >>chair: let's roll this item,

[4:33] until the end of the agenda.

[4:35] I want to talk to the

[4:36] commissioner, let's go to the

[4:44] next item.

[4:46] >> next item is 1g2 relating to

[4:48] the rapid transit system

[4:50] development zone amending

[4:51] section 33 c2 and 33 3.3 of the

[4:53] code miami-dade county

[4:55] augmenting the smart zone to a

[4:59] compass certain properties on

[5:00] west 30th avenue located within

[5:02] a quarter-mile of a public

[5:04] transit station providing

[5:05] criteria related to public

[5:07] benefits which allows for

[5:09] certain development bonuses for

[5:11] properties providing

[5:13] severability inclusion in the

[5:15] code and an effective date.

[5:16] >>chair: public hearing is

[5:19] open, public hearing is closed.

[5:20] >>commissioner regalado: move

[5:21] it.

[5:23] >>chair: it's been moved by

[5:24] commissioner regalado, second

[5:26] by commissioner bastien,

[5:28] anything the commission wants

[5:30] to add hearing nothing call the

[5:31] roll.

[5:33] >>commissioner bastien:

[5:35] >>commissioner bermudez:

[5:37] >>commissioner regalado:

[5:37] >>chair:

[5:39] >> motion passes unanimously.

[5:41] >> next item is 1g3, amendment

[5:50] to the implementation plan ptp

[5:52] directive will actively include

[5:54] the purchase of 40 foot buses

[5:55] for I-95 phase 1 and two

[5:57] project funded in part by

[5:59] charter county transportation

[6:01] surtax funds, this is a public

[6:02] hearing item.

[6:04] >>chair: public hearing on 1g3

[6:05] is open, public hearing on 1g3

[6:07] is closed.

[6:08] Administration I guess this is

[6:11] your item.

[6:13] >> commissioner we only ask for

[6:15] this to be considered to be

[6:17] waived till JULY 21 for full

[6:19] consideration of the board.

[6:20] >>chair: first you asked for us

[6:22] to pass it and then you want us

[6:23] to waive it.

[6:25] I don't have a problem but let

[6:27] me help, there's a new

[6:30] procedure for waving something.

[6:31] >>commissioner regalado: yes,

[6:41] we need to explain why.

[6:43] >>chair: I don't mind signing

[6:44] the memo but you have to

[6:46] prepare the memo so we have to

[6:48] provide an explanation and the

[6:58] explanation probably has to be

[6:59] not only why it needs to

[7:01] advance but why it's just

[7:01] coming now.

[7:03] I think that's what it has to

[7:05] be so it's not as easy as it

[7:06] was before but let's get

[7:08] through passing it first, no

[7:09] questions.

[7:10] Extended seconded.

[7:11] Call the roll.

[7:13] >>commissioner bermudez:

[7:15] >>commissioner bastien:

[7:17] >>commissioner regalado:

[7:17] >>chair:

[7:20] >> motion passes unanimously.

[7:22] >>chair: what is next.

[7:24] >>commissioner regalado: we are

[7:25] going to talk about the budget,

[7:27] it's going to be great.

[7:28] >>chair: where is stacy at?

[7:31] What's the item I added on for

[7:31] you?

[7:32] The underline, we can take

[7:34] everything together, I just

[7:35] want to be shown on that.

[7:41] Just to be nice to regalado.

[7:43] So that we will take the

[7:48] balance of that.

[7:50] >>commissioner regalado: I will

[7:51] move the balance of the agenda

[7:53] with the exception of 3k.

[7:55] >>chair: all those in favor say

[7:56] aye, those opposed.

[8:04] It's been moved and seconded by

[8:06] bermudez, all those in favor

[8:07] signify by saying aye, show me

[8:08] as a no.

[8:14] It's been passed.

[8:16] >>commissioner regalado: do you

[8:17] want to discuss the budget

[8:19] while we wait for the

[8:20] amendment?

[8:22] >>chair: is someone calling the

[8:23] commissioners office?

[8:25] Out of an abundance of

[8:26] curiosity.

[8:27] An abundance of curiosity.

[8:29] Good one.

[8:31] Let's go, budget.

[8:38] MADAM Director.

[8:44] >> I would like to provide you

[8:47] all with a brief overview of

[8:48] information that was utilized

[9:00] to develop dgp w's budget

[9:02] moving into this season.

[9:03] As you can see we have our

[9:05] vision and mission statement,

[9:06] obviously our goal is to

[9:08] provide safe and efficient

[9:09] transportation for all users.

[9:13] We are the largest transit

[9:15] agency within the state of

[9:17] florida and 10th largest in the

[9:18] country with a budget of over

[9:24] $2.2 billion.

[9:26] And a dedicated workforce of

[9:27] 4241 persons.

[9:29] Our transit operations

[9:30] obviously involve a multitude

[9:32] of different functions.

[9:34] Last year's boardings eclipsed

[9:40] 81 million with the largest

[9:42] number obviously within our bus

[9:42] services.

[9:44] Public works operations

[9:45] obviously we are the department

[9:48] of transportation which is an

[9:49] intrinsic component.

[9:51] We oversee roadways, bridges,

[9:54] traffic signals and signs,

[9:56] pavement markings, streetlights

[9:58] and of course we took over

[9:59] stormwater utility and

[10:00] maintenance of canals.

[10:03] We obviously provide regional

[10:07] conductivity for not just miami

[10:08] dade county but for south

[10:08] florida.

[10:10] As well as regulate the four

[10:14] hire industry.

[10:16] We have many customers but we

[10:35] are committed to making sure we

[10:36] are an essential function of

[10:37] our economy.

[10:39] Most people talk about the

[10:41] airport and seaport, those

[10:43] don't function without the road

[10:44] bridge and transit network to

[10:45] support them.

[10:47] We are an essential function

[10:49] within miami dade county and we

[10:50] are committed to accessibility

[10:52] and safety are all vulnerable

[10:54] road users and as noted our

[10:55] infrastructure is the

[10:57] underpinning of a successful

[10:58] delivery of vital services.

[11:00] Some key accomplishments for

[11:01] the launch of our smart

[11:03] program, first milestone

[11:05] project of south corridor which

[11:10] launched OCTOBER 27.

[11:11] This has been a major

[11:13] improvement for south county

[11:15] and we are excited about that.

[11:16] Midyear assistance we

[11:18] established a mobility sourcing

[11:19] program which allows us to go

[11:22] to original manufacturers for

[11:23] items which quickly shortens

[11:25] the timeframe for procurement.

[11:27] And we continue to work on

[11:29] transit amenities which

[11:30] recently assisted us with some

[11:31] key issues.

[11:33] Transit funding shortfalls,

[11:34] this has been an issue looming

[11:43] for over 10 years.

[11:45] We have approximately a $100

[11:47] billion shortfall moving into

[11:48] the fiscal year 27.

[11:51] The mayor has proposed a

[11:51] solution for fiscal year 27 and

[11:53] I know we all look forward to

[11:54] those solutions for next year

[11:55] and years forward.

[11:58] We have an infrastructure

[11:59] backlog of over $1 billion of

[12:00] needs.

[12:01] We have workforce vacancy

[12:03] issues approximately 20% right

[12:06] now and aging technology, we

[12:07] continue to work with you all

[12:10] to make sure we can update our

[12:12] technology and provide a better

[12:14] user experience for our

[12:15] patrons.

[12:16] >>chair: let's stop here for a

[12:18] second, you talked about the

[12:18] shortfall.

[12:24] And I appreciate, describe for

[12:25] us exactly what you mean by a

[12:27] shortfall because the way I

[12:29] understand our transit system

[12:35] right now, we don't have a

[12:35] shortfall.

[12:37] We are designed in a way that

[12:38] requires us to supplement from

[12:41] the general fund

[12:42] transportation.

[12:43] Shortfall seems to indicate

[12:45] that there's something we could

[12:48] do to make that up.

[12:50] And I don't know that there is

[12:51] something we could actually do

[12:52] to make it up.

[12:55] i think our system public

[12:56] transit generally through the

[12:58] country is not designed to pay

[12:59] for it self.

[13:00] Sometimes we use this

[13:01] nomenclature and vocabulary

[13:08] that says that it kind of

[13:10] indicates that it's running a

[13:11] deficit, it's not running a

[13:15] deficit, there's no shortfall.

[13:17] We planted in a way to allow

[13:19] the public generally to move

[13:21] korea a public generally could

[13:26] not pay the cost of the bus

[13:28] ride, the people who need to

[13:30] take the bus could not pay the

[13:31] cost of the bus ride so we plan

[13:32] our system in a way to

[13:33] supplement that.

[13:34] Hen we start

[13:36] using words like shortfall I

[13:38] would have the administration

[13:40] to look at the vocabulary we

[13:42] are using so we could properly

[13:55] inform the public about how the

[13:57] system operates and how it's

[13:58] designed to operate.

[14:00] Because if we were actually to

[14:02] do this like proprietary

[14:03] systems, it would look

[14:04] completely different.

[14:06] This is not proprietary.

[14:08] It's not meant to be.

[14:20] A proprietary, our proprietary

[14:22] systems are designed so the

[14:23] users pay for the service.

[14:25] Though users are not meant to

[14:26] pay for the full service of

[14:27] this system.

[14:29] So I know you have your whole

[14:30] nice presentation, you spent a

[14:32] lot of time on this I can tell

[14:34] so I'm not asking you to change

[14:36] it now but let's get into the

[14:38] habit of speaking about

[14:39] transportation or our transit

[14:41] system in a way that does not

[14:43] compare it to our proprietary

[14:45] systems so we aren't doing that

[14:47] and we aren't intentionally

[14:48] misleading the public but we

[14:50] are misleading the public about

[14:52] what public transit is meant to

[14:53] do.

[14:54] Regalado.

[14:55] >>commissioner regalado: I want

[14:57] to add to that it's important

[14:59] for us to consider that in the

[15:01] last two years we have not

[15:02] received as much funding from

[15:04] the state as we have in the

[15:04] past.

[15:06] Not your fault, not my fault.

[15:08] I think there were promises

[15:09] made and we were expecting a

[15:11] lot more funding from the

[15:11] state.

[15:12] That is not the case.

[15:14] This year we were even

[15:15] conservative in our ask and we

[15:17] still didn't get it so that's

[15:18] the first one.

[15:20] And also we had the transit 16s

[15:21] and the work you've done on

[15:23] that rtz has benefited the tid

[15:25] but we've been drawing down on

[15:25] the tid.

[15:30] As our needs and our

[15:32] maintenance increases we've

[15:36] been drawing down on the tid.

[15:38] We had a lot of deferred

[15:40] maintenance and I think the

[15:42] administration for working on

[15:42] that.

[15:44] For those of us that represent

[15:46] part of the metrorail these are

[15:47] 30+ year old stations.

[15:49] In the case of my district I've

[15:51] done a lot to have developers

[15:52] pay for some of that.

[15:57] But we still have dade land and

[15:59] the transfer station and things

[16:01] that are way beyond anything

[16:11] that zoning could negotiate.

[16:13] So I think it's a combination

[16:14] of things.

[16:16] We talked about how this was

[16:18] going to be a difficult year,

[16:19] four years ago and

[16:20] unfortunately while the rapid

[16:22] transit zone has aided with the

[16:24] tid, we still don't have a

[16:24] revenue source.

[16:26] We are still at a loss.

[16:28] We subsidize 80% of this and I

[16:29] agree with the CHAIRMAN.

[16:31] We need to be honest with

[16:33] people about the level of the

[16:33] subsidy.

[16:35] And our commitment to transit.

[16:52] So I'm with you.

[16:54] I think when we talk about

[16:55] transit we should be mindful of

[16:57] the terminology we use to speak

[16:59] of our commitment because our

[17:01] commitment is from the general

[17:02] fund.

[17:02] That's where we are at.

[17:04] We get a little bit from here

[17:05] and from there but all in all

[17:07] we have been taking from the

[17:09] general fund from its

[17:09] inception.

[17:15] So I think that is a necessary

[17:16] point.

[17:17] It's not anything this

[17:18] commission is doing.

[17:20] We've gone above and beyond for

[17:21] the maintenance and operation

[17:23] which I think is important to

[17:25] our users because it impacts

[17:30] the level of service.

[17:32] Class I'll finish my last

[17:33] couple of slides, thank you.

[17:35] As noted understood regarding

[17:37] the verbiage we use going

[17:38] forward.

[17:47] Discussing our priorities, our

[17:48] initiatives that we continue to

[17:50] do and have done in the past

[17:52] our marketing program for drive

[17:53] less lives more as an

[17:54] opportunity we used to

[17:57] interface with the community

[17:57] and to talk about how we run

[17:59] our business, gather our

[18:00] feedback.

[18:01] We've used it as well not just

[18:10] in the drive less, live more

[18:12] but fill in the blank more.

[18:13] we've used it for a lot of

[18:15] different opportunities.

[18:16] It's been a great marketing

[18:17] program for us.

[18:19] We are in the process of our

[18:23] asset inventory and condition

[18:25] assessment, something the

[18:26] commission approved previously.

[18:28] We are starting to gain that

[18:30] data and that will help us make

[18:31] better engineering decisions

[18:33] about our priorities, it's the

[18:35] first opportunity for

[18:36] miami-dade to have a full

[18:38] accounting of our assets as it

[18:40] relates to our infrastructure

[18:42] within the department of

[18:43] transportation and public works

[18:45] and we are winding down

[18:47] construction for the south dade

[18:48] transit operations center, the

[18:50] first new operations center in

[18:52] 40 years and this supports

[18:54] obviously the health or radar

[18:55] and other bus routes that will

[18:57] occur in the south county area.

[18:59] That should be completed in the

[18:59] fall.

[19:02] Our future outlook as was noted

[19:04] we use the word funding

[19:05] shortfalls, I won't be using

[19:07] that anymore but we have known

[19:09] about this looming funding gap

[19:13] in our budget.

[19:15] We continue to work with the

[19:17] office of management and budget

[19:19] as well as the administration

[19:21] and you all to find a means of

[19:34] modifying how we move forward

[19:36] with our operations and capital

[19:38] funding shortfalls in the

[19:38] future.

[19:40] I won't use that word, sorry I

[19:41] used it, we apologize.

[19:44] We continue to find wise 305

[19:45] opportunities as we move

[19:46] forward and we believe there

[19:47] are more to come.

[20:01] We believe we will have the

[20:03] opportunity to provide better

[20:05] scheduling and reduce our costs

[20:06] in the future.

[20:07] We have just started to use

[20:08] that.

[20:09] We are using planning

[20:11] frameworks, our new county

[20:12] master plan which we are using

[20:14] to help us make better

[20:14] decisions.

[20:16] We also have master plans for

[20:17] our escalator elevator and

[20:20] other facilities as we move

[20:20] forward.

[20:23] Happy to answer any questions.

[20:25] >>chair: commissioner bermudez.

[20:27] >>commissioner bermudez: I

[20:29] agree with you that obviously

[20:30] no public transportation in

[20:32] this country that I know of of

[20:34] major size can operate without,

[20:36] it can operate, or breakeven

[20:38] that's just a reality but I

[20:39] want to talk about something,

[20:41] the difference between transit

[20:43] and traffic and your department

[20:44] has to do both.

[20:45] We can argue until the end of

[20:48] the day about whether it should

[20:49] or shouldn't but the reality is

[20:51] a large part of this county

[20:52] deals with traffic, the other

[20:54] part deals with transit.

[20:55] Issues to the east have been

[20:57] more referenced transit but to

[20:59] the west it's been traffic.

[21:00] Where many people live.

[21:06] So I would ask you and I think

[21:07] that's important because as you

[21:09] move forward you have to keep

[21:10] that in mind.

[21:12] That doesn't make your job any

[21:13] easier, it probably makes it

[21:15] more complicated but the

[21:17] reality is our system is trying

[21:19] to.

[21:20] It's not maybe what MAY happen

[21:22] in other cities traditionally

[21:24] in the northeast for example

[21:26] where there's always a traffic

[21:28] issue but more of a transit

[21:30] issue and in our case it's a

[21:31] composite of both korea for

[21:33] growth to occur where growth

[21:34] has occurred it needs to happen

[21:36] and I've been a stickler with

[21:38] the administration and

[21:39] reiterated to you that one of

[21:41] my concerns is always a lack of

[21:44] metrics, the lack of knowing

[21:44] where.

[21:46] It drives me crazy when we set

[21:48] up here and there's things that

[21:49] pop up from 2013 and 2014 and

[21:51] nobody knows where it's at.

[21:53] First of all in both instances,

[21:55] first of all do you have

[21:55] metrics?

[21:57] And some make sense like how

[22:01] long does it take to fill a

[22:02] pothole but are the metrics

[22:04] being followed, are there

[22:06] metrics, are they being looked

[22:06] at?

[22:30] That's one of my questions.

[22:31] Claps through the chair we have

[22:33] metrics associated with the

[22:35] time when we receive I want to

[22:37] say complaint but an issue till

[22:39] the time we complete it but we

[22:40] are wholly underfunded for

[22:43] sidewalk improvements, pothole

[22:44] filling and resurfacing, we are

[22:46] about $1 billion behind on

[22:48] maintenance and improvements

[22:50] associated with our existing

[22:52] road and bridge network.

[22:54] >>commissioner bermudez: that's

[22:56] a big concern because a lot of

[22:57] times we're talking about

[22:59] things like the underline and I

[23:01] support it, I have no problem

[23:03] but a vast part of this county

[23:04] and not just my district going

[23:06] south to the west is impacted

[23:08] as a combination of both, it's

[23:09] not just a matter of one.

[23:11] I think that's something we

[23:12] need to kind of focus on and

[23:14] not always make it eastern

[23:15] centric as it is.

[23:17] talking about these old things

[23:18] that have been approved and

[23:20] what happened to them, the bus

[23:22] depot on 14th and 15th street

[23:24] here by the old miami herald

[23:24] building.

[23:26] What's happening with that?

[23:28] Because way before most of us

[23:29] got hear their was money

[23:30] awarded to fix that.

[23:32] And what's going on?

[23:38] Does anybody know?

[23:40] Claps I apologize, I do not

[23:42] have that information but I

[23:46] will find out.

[23:48] >>commissioner bermudez: this

[23:50] is not a criticism of anybody

[23:51] that's been here before, I'm

[23:55] sure there watching and they

[23:57] can enjoy it but one of the big

[23:58] problems I've seen and now as

[24:00] our CHAIRMAN Goes on to bigger

[24:02] and better things, bigger, I

[24:07] don't know about better but the

[24:09] reality is a lot of times that

[24:10] headaches we inherited have

[24:12] been around for 20 to 25 years

[24:13] including the transportation

[24:15] plan because CHAIRMAN Gilbert

[24:17] remembers we were both in

[24:18] elected office when this plan

[24:19] came up a long time ago.

[24:21] And we are still talking about

[24:22] it.

[24:23] One of the problems I see and I

[24:25] point that out if you could

[24:27] look into it because we can't

[24:38] just, these things get lost in

[24:40] the netherworld of county

[24:41] politics.

[24:43] Then they pop up out of the

[24:44] blue and everybody points

[24:46] fingers in each direction but

[24:47] there has to be some sort of

[24:48] accounting.

[24:49] It's kind of like knowing

[24:51] what's under your airports not

[24:53] having a private company know

[24:55] under your airport but you

[24:57] don't know what's under your

[24:58] airport which is a problem so

[25:00] if you could check into that I

[25:01] would appreciate it.

[25:03] >>chair: that's great.

[25:06] It's interesting the memo the

[25:07] administration produced about

[25:10] the funding possibilities,

[25:12] that's something I requested as

[25:14] an interesting thing.

[25:15] It's especially interesting

[25:20] when we compare it with the

[25:21] possibility.

[25:23] We analyze it under the context

[25:24] of how much we supplement

[25:26] transit through the general

[25:26] fund.

[25:29] Then we add in the possibility

[25:31] of reducing the general fund

[25:37] with property tax reform.

[25:38] So we've been thinking about

[25:41] this from the perspective of

[25:42] rapid mass transit, the

[25:43] question isn't going to be

[25:45] rapid mass transit alone.

[25:45] He

[25:47] question will be how we operate

[25:52] this transit system at all.

[25:54] Because that's not one of the

[25:56] necessary things that we have

[25:56] to do.

[25:58] Pretty soon there is going to

[26:00] have to be a reconciling of how

[26:03] we run the system.

[26:07] And the split that has to exist

[26:21] between the service that's

[26:22] provided and how it's funded

[26:24] with regard to whether it's

[26:25] funded with a general tax

[26:27] through general taxes or

[26:28] whether it's funded through the

[26:35] people who actually use the

[26:35] system.

[26:37] That's the question that's

[26:38] actually going to be on the

[26:39] ballot in NOVEMBER.

[26:41] You might not know that your

[26:42] answering that question but

[26:44] that's the question you're

[26:46] going to answer because if you

[26:47] institute property tax reform

[26:49] in a way that does not allow

[26:50] the general fund to support

[26:52] this transit system, you will

[26:54] be raising either raising the

[26:56] bus rate and metrorail rate or

[26:58] you will be eliminating

[26:59] services, that is what you will

[27:00] be doing.

[27:01] And the administration probably

[27:03] needs to start having real

[27:04] honest and direct conversations

[27:14] about how that's going to look.

[27:16] Because everyone on this board

[27:18] and everyone in this building

[27:19] understands that we can't

[27:21] afford to take the level of it

[27:23] in transit through the general

[27:26] fund if that's contemplated.

[27:28] In that ballot initiative.

[27:30] We won't be able to run the

[27:31] system that way.

[27:33] We understand that.

[27:35] We'd probably better tell

[27:38] people that.

[27:40] Explain to them that they are

[27:46] paying, what is it, $0.11.

[27:48] Claps our return is 11 or $0.12

[27:53] on the dollar.

[27:55] >>chair: let's say 12, $0.12 of

[27:56] every dollar it takes to ride

[27:58] that bus.

[28:00] So this board and this

[28:05] administration is not

[28:07] recommending an increase in the

[28:08] rate right now.

[28:09] But in truth, we are going to

[28:26] have to, we will need to find

[28:28] what we believe to be the

[28:30] appropriate balance so we know

[28:31] it can never be 100%.

[28:32] We know that, is it $0.50 on

[28:33] every dollar?

[28:35] Is it $0.60 on every dollar?

[28:36] Is it $0.70?

[28:38] On every dollar that we are

[28:40] going to supplement so in other

[28:41] words the people or using it

[28:42] and whatever it is it is.

[28:44] But the conversation needs to

[28:45] be had and we need to

[28:47] standardize it because if we

[28:48] don't, this system cannot

[29:04] sustain itself.

[29:06] And that's not counting what we

[29:07] know we have to do.

[29:09] We know that if we don't invest

[29:10] in a rapid transit, we know in

[29:12] 40 years if we don't invest in

[29:14] rapid mass transit identifying

[29:15] these corridors, housing prices

[29:17] and congestion will cripple

[29:19] this county eventually, we know

[29:20] that's what we have to do.

[29:22] But we are not prepared to do

[29:23] what we are doing right now, if

[29:25] the property tax initiative

[29:27] passes so that needs to be a

[29:28] real conversation because we

[29:30] are not some of these other

[29:32] counties that are small and

[29:33] insignificant.

[29:34] When we cripple our economy we

[29:36] actually change the state of

[29:36] florida.

[29:39] And the department that you run

[29:44] and you will oversee is what

[29:46] allows the most recovered and

[29:52] robust economy in the state to

[29:52] exist.

[29:54] If you stop rapid mass transit

[29:55] or you make it cost

[29:56] substantially more, it's not

[29:58] just dade county.

[30:16] It's florida.

[30:18] So we had probably be better

[30:19] having that conversation.

[30:21] The chamber is starting to talk

[30:23] about it because we don't

[30:24] necessarily see it but how much

[30:26] we invest in public transit

[30:28] allows our businesses to thrive

[30:30] because they have workers who

[30:31] can come to work so it's a

[30:32] challenge we have to have a

[30:35] more active conversation.

[30:36] You've been doing a lot of

[30:38] talking in the corner, I

[30:39] haven't interrupted you, do you

[30:40] have an amendment?

[30:41] Okay.

[30:42] bastien.

[30:43] >>commissioner bastien: I

[30:45] wanted to say that I agree with

[30:46] commissioner gilbert and with

[30:51] my colleagues.

[30:53] This discussion needs to be had

[30:55] sooner rather than later.

[30:59] I-4 one have so many residents

[31:04] and I know other colleagues who

[31:07] are experiencing the same

[31:07] thing.

[31:09] A lot of our residents are on

[31:10] fixed income.

[31:11] They will not be able to

[31:15] contribute much.

[31:27] So if we agree and we know

[31:29] transportation must find a way

[31:31] to fund itself and there are so

[31:33] many residents that rely on

[31:34] these services to move around

[31:36] in my district I get calls from

[31:38] residents all the time who are

[31:40] having a hard time because of

[31:47] the changes in the routes.

[31:49] They are really really having a

[31:51] hard time because some of the

[31:53] elderly unfixed income rely on

[31:54] transportation, rely on the

[31:56] routes to go buy groceries and

[31:57] I receive these calls every

[31:58] day.

[31:59] We need to be proactive.

[32:01] Because every year we have

[32:04] people moving in to miami dade

[32:04] county.

[32:06] So you have to balance the

[32:07] needs of the residents and the

[32:18] needs of those coming in for

[32:20] other places because they are

[32:22] attracted by what we have to

[32:22] offer.

[32:23] I agree we need to be

[32:24] proactive.

[32:25] We need to really have this

[32:27] hard discussion sooner rather

[32:29] than later and another thing

[32:31] I'd like us to really consider

[32:32] is to look at the contracts

[32:35] that we give when we, to fix

[32:39] these roads.

[32:41] in the past I've talked about

[32:46] some of the changes,

[32:48] infrastructure changes in my

[32:50] district and how soon after we

[32:51] repair it MAY deteriorate.

[32:56] So these are also discussions

[32:57] that we need to have.

[32:59] We have to do an overall

[33:03] assessment of how we do this

[33:03] work.

[33:07] How we award these contracts.

[33:11] How we assess the work after

[33:13] it's done so that we don't have

[33:26] to continuously invest in

[33:28] repair for all the roads to

[33:29] deteriorate again.

[33:30] I think there's a lot of work

[33:32] to do and I agree with

[33:34] commissioner gilbert, these are

[33:35] discussions we need to have.

[33:39] We need to come to the fact

[33:40] that we have to find a way

[33:42] because so many of our

[33:44] residents cannot afford it.

[33:48] And transportation cannot fund

[33:49] itself.

[33:56] >>chair: thank you, regalado.

[33:58] >>commissioner regalado: I have

[33:59] a few questions.

[34:04] Commissioner gilbert mentioned,

[34:05] the CHAIRMAN Mentioned the

[34:06] smart plan medal.

[34:08] Thank you for putting that out,

[34:10] I think it was necessary and we

[34:17] all know that it was about time

[34:19] we actually put it out there

[34:21] and started talking about our

[34:21] challenges.

[34:23] The one thing I wish that smart

[34:25] plan medal included was the

[34:28] opportunity to have enterprise

[34:29] departments do some of this

[34:30] work.

[34:31] Specifically as I've mentioned

[34:33] at the tvo and I've mentioned

[34:35] it to the administration have

[34:44] an opportunity to put a

[34:45] tri-rail station at the port

[34:47] where the airport pays half and

[34:49] the port pays half, it would be

[34:50] between 30 and 33 million and

[34:53] it would give us access to the

[34:54] railroad we spent 80 million

[34:55] on.

[34:56] This board already approved a

[34:58] station at little river.

[34:59] Then it goes to the port so why

[35:01] not do a port station and get a

[35:02] transit win without is coming

[35:04] out of the transit budget?

[35:06] Think we also need to get a

[35:07] little creative here in terms

[35:09] of places where we know that

[35:11] there is a need for transit.

[35:13] And there is enterprise funds

[35:14] that could do it.

[35:17] The idea to commissioner

[35:18] bermudez point about

[35:39] alleviating traffic, we have so

[35:40] much congestion between the

[35:42] airport and the port if we had

[35:43] a transit line.

[35:44] Hen this was

[35:45] presented it was $1 billion to

[35:47] extend metrorail, $1 billion to

[35:49] extend metro mover.

[35:50] That's madness, we don't have

[35:52] that kind of money but if we

[35:54] could do a tri-rail station for

[35:55] 30 million student that.

[35:58] We have to start changing our

[35:59] mindset because what happens to

[36:01] us a lot of times is a lobbyist

[36:03] have to come and pitch the

[36:04] thing and we react to it as

[36:06] opposed to us saying wait a

[36:07] second, there's an opportunity

[36:08] here.

[36:09] I think we can have some

[36:16] transit that is a little

[36:18] different and I give that as an

[36:18] example.

[36:20] And in little river we've got a

[36:22] tri-rail station built by the

[36:24] developer and that's because of

[36:25] the rtc which leads me to my

[36:26] second point.

[36:28] We have a dependence on the

[36:28] tid.

[36:30] now that the rtz has been in

[36:31] place for some time we need to

[36:33] look at the growth in the tid

[36:35] since we started these

[36:38] developments and start looking

[36:39] at where these developments

[36:41] have come and what our options

[36:43] are for the places in the rtc

[36:44] where we haven't seen

[36:56] development so the rtz has seen

[36:57] development in my district and

[36:59] a little bit in bastien's and

[37:01] the question is MR. Chair do we

[37:03] go back to the drawing table

[37:05] and figure out what we do for

[37:06] those other areas to

[37:07] incentivize that development

[37:09] and how do we capture that?

[37:11] Ecause the growth of the tid

[37:12] is what we need and for those

[37:14] of us that have transit, we are

[37:16] also having a tremendous amount

[37:17] of development along those

[37:19] transit lines and that money is

[37:20] going into tid.

[37:22] It's important to start having

[37:24] that baseline conversation to

[37:26] see where this is coming and

[37:28] what changes we can make

[37:30] because we have proven changes

[37:31] to zoning can benefit our

[37:34] transit system so let's keep

[37:36] having that conversation, let's

[37:40] not just leave it in a vacuum.

[37:42] The other issue is the mover.

[37:44] Will say it again, we should

[37:45] charge for the mover.

[37:49] Speaking of tri-rail we are

[37:50] going throw whole process with

[37:52] our fair collection and one of

[37:54] the things we're looking at is

[37:56] starting with digital first and

[37:57] not the fair dates and this

[37:59] board should seriously consider

[38:01] starting with a pilot for the

[38:12] mover that has a digital price

[38:13] collection.

[38:15] Those people are sophisticated

[38:17] enough over there in downtown

[38:18] to be able to do it.

[38:19] that will bring us some

[38:20] revenue.

[38:21] We MAY not capture all of it

[38:23] but we are capturing nothing.

[38:24] So whatever we capture I think

[38:26] it would be a benefit to us.

[38:28] And we need to eliminate this

[38:29] idea of free transit.

[38:32] I've said this last budget,

[38:33] I'll say it again.

[38:37] We need to kill baylink, nobody

[38:47] has money for baylink.

[38:49] Instead of the planning money

[38:51] we are spending on baylink we

[38:53] need to get a trolley and get a

[38:55] trolley that goes across the

[38:56] venetian and be done with this.

[38:58] Fdo t won't pay for it, we

[38:59] can't afford it and at some

[39:01] point we've got to cut our

[39:02] losses and move forward.

[39:04] And if a bart was good enough

[39:10] for south dade and is working

[39:11] why is a trolley not good for

[39:12] miami beach.

[39:22] Is there a different standard.

[39:24] Because last time I checked it

[39:26] was all the same, we had to

[39:28] approve ridership and interest

[39:29] to move forward.

[39:30] I think when we look at the

[39:32] smart plan we need to say okay,

[39:34] what doesn't have the ability

[39:36] to get funded and let's find a

[39:37] solution.

[39:38] I think that is something miami

[39:40] beach would like to consider.

[39:42] It concerns me we keep cutting

[39:50] bus routes and I'm not going to

[39:51] get ahead of the budget but I

[39:53] want to say the constant

[39:54] cutting of the bus routes, if

[39:56] we're going to keep doing this

[39:57] we have to go back and look at

[39:58] metro connect.

[40:00] We have to look at it because

[40:01] we need to use the same

[40:03] standard that we use for the

[40:04] buses for metro connect.

[40:06] How much are we paying for that

[40:11] one writer because time and

[40:13] again we come to the buses and

[40:15] say it's low ridership, caught

[40:17] the bus route in the meanwhile

[40:18] metro connect is existing out

[40:20] there in the ether and I think

[40:21] we are getting to a point where

[40:23] we might be reverting back to

[40:34] the original letter bus that

[40:35] just had buses and arteries and

[40:37] if we are doing that we need to

[40:38] be honest about it.

[40:40] I think we need to be honest

[40:40] about it.

[40:43] Because if you start looking at

[40:44] the pattern of pattern is

[40:45] moving us towards that.

[40:47] We need to be honest with

[40:49] people about the bus routes

[40:51] that are working and the ones

[40:52] that are important and if the

[40:54] bart is working we need to

[40:56] invest because it's working and

[40:58] have a comprehensive

[40:59] conversation, not just a

[41:01] reactionary conversation to

[41:01] better bus.

[41:03] I also think we need to deal

[41:04] with some of our liabilities.

[41:07] I know our legal department was

[41:08] looking into the proterra

[41:10] issue, we are not the only ones

[41:11] that have this issue but we

[41:37] also have sp 7046.

[41:39] Sb 7046 puts a pin in some of

[41:40] our electric bus purchases and

[41:42] the question is what are we

[41:44] going to do about that because

[41:45] after proterra broward decided

[41:47] to purchase diesel so that's

[41:49] another conversation we need to

[41:49] have.

[41:51] How much are we investing, how

[41:53] much is it costing and how do

[41:55] we deal with the state

[41:56] preemption that makes us look

[41:58] at that money differently.

[42:00] I would like to see that.

[42:02] And finally in terms of the

[42:03] roadway issue, I think we need

[42:05] to have a conversation about

[42:07] the stormwater and the

[42:08] stormwater fees.

[42:09] And how we do that and how we

[42:10] collect that.

[42:12] Are we really doing that work,

[42:14] what would it actually take for

[42:16] us to be able to have a good

[42:18] stormwater plan and what does

[42:18] that cost?

[42:20] That doesn't mean we have that

[42:22] money but as we have these

[42:24] conversations we should have a

[42:25] minimum have an idea.

[42:41] When we do zoning, we need to

[42:42] take that into account.

[42:44] Because sometimes we do and

[42:45] sometimes we don't.

[42:45] Ut maybe

[42:47] there are some changes to the

[42:49] comprehensive master plan that

[42:51] could help us alleviate some of

[42:51] this.

[42:52] We also need to start looking

[42:54] at our impact fees.

[42:55] And I'm not a fan.

[42:57] This administration has been

[42:59] good to my district in that we

[43:00] are finally fixing some of the

[43:01] roads.

[43:02] And we fight for them and I

[43:03] thank you.

[43:05] But my district for 10 years

[43:07] and the impact fees taken and

[43:08] put in other districts and I

[43:10] had roads that had been built

[43:12] and resurfaced for 30, 40, 50

[43:14] years and I know that happens.

[43:16] There is a disparity here and I

[43:17] understand that.

[43:18] Some people have more

[43:20] development than others but for

[43:21] those of us who are suffering

[43:33] the development, those potholes

[43:35] are more painful because people

[43:37] drive down our streets and to

[43:39] say I don't understand, I see

[43:40] this building, once this

[43:42] pothole and meanwhile we're

[43:44] talking about building roads

[43:45] outside the you dv so what's

[43:46] going to give here?

[43:48] I think that we need to look at

[43:50] the impact fees and to be

[43:51] honest about what our road

[43:53] plans are so that we could then

[43:54] articulate to our residents

[43:56] what the needs are and how we

[43:58] are doing our best to meet

[43:59] those needs.

[44:00] Because we are put in a

[44:01] difficult position.

[44:03] So I think moving forward as we

[44:05] go into the budget we have to

[44:09] look at what are our revenue

[44:11] opportunities and what are our

[44:13] existing liabilities and match

[44:15] these up because there's a lot

[44:17] of policies that have been set

[44:18] by this board that then get

[44:20] mirrored back to us in the

[44:20] budget.

[44:22] And I think we are at a point

[44:23] where we need to reevaluate

[44:25] those and figure out is this

[44:27] really working for us or not

[44:29] and try to find some revenue

[44:30] generation.

[44:40] I think the rtz has shown us

[44:42] zoning can help transit so we

[44:43] should revisit that and have

[44:45] these conversations about

[44:47] different ways to fund transit.

[44:48] And what we can do to ensure

[44:50] where the density is coming

[44:52] that money at a minimum fixes

[44:53] the roads that are adjacent to

[45:04] it, thank you.

[45:05] >>commissioner bermudez: just

[45:07] one thing, when we look at

[45:09] impact fees municipalities look

[45:10] at the impact fees to end the

[45:12] one we are in coextensive so

[45:14] the responsibility will have to

[45:16] be we've got, it's not a

[45:17] one-way road.

[45:18] Unfortunately to the west where

[45:20] we do need roads particularly

[45:22] in areas that this county

[45:26] allowed, the city of hialeah.

[45:28] any growth there within the you

[45:30] dv and you know how I feel

[45:31] about the udb, we've got to

[45:33] stop with this 52 years we

[45:34] can't talk about it like it's a

[45:35] bad word.

[45:37] Everybody could be at the

[45:40] table.

[45:41] Environmentalists and you guys,

[45:43] us, everybody but if you look

[45:45] at impact fees I want to make

[45:46] sure we look at what

[45:48] municipalities do because they

[46:01] also charge impact fees.

[46:02] >>commissioner bastien: on the

[46:04] bus route changes moving

[46:06] forward it is important that

[46:08] district commissioners sit down

[46:10] with you before you change the

[46:10] routes.

[46:13] I-4 example have pockets of

[46:17] residents who are basically cut

[46:19] off, mainly elderly's, the

[46:21] elderly as I was referring to

[46:22] earlier cut off.

[46:24] So before these changes I

[46:26] definitely would like to sit

[46:28] down with the department to

[46:45] analyze, to see the plan for

[46:47] this bus route because we know

[46:48] our district best.

[46:50] We know where our residence

[46:50] needs are.

[46:52] So I really would like to be

[46:54] part of that conversation and I

[46:56] know other commissioners would

[46:57] like to also to make sure that

[46:59] we just don't react to the

[47:01] changes after we hear from the

[47:15] residence, it's important for

[47:16] us to sit down with you moving

[47:18] forward to find better

[47:20] solutions to keep our elderly

[47:21] is moving.

[47:23] We need them to keep moving.

[47:24] It has an impact on their

[47:26] health and on life in general

[47:27] so this is something we really

[47:29] need to work on and on free

[47:32] transit commissioner regalado i

[47:33] agree it cannot be free but

[47:35] there will always need to be

[47:36] considerations for others.

[47:38] It's not everyone and I am

[47:40] always referring to the elderly

[47:41] because I know what they are

[47:43] going through right now.

[47:44] The decisions, the hard

[47:46] decisions they have to make

[47:47] every day to make ends meet.

[47:48] To keep their homes.

[47:50] To pay insurance.

[47:51] Many are losing their homes

[48:00] because of their high cost of

[48:00] living.

[48:02] So we have to find ways to help

[48:03] them.

[48:04] Whatever plans we make we have

[48:07] to take into consideration in

[48:09] miami dade county they are the

[48:10] elderly populations that are

[48:17] hurting right now like so many

[48:17] other families.

[48:19] We have to decide whether to

[48:21] buy food or pay for medication

[48:24] or pay for taxes, insurance,

[48:26] everything is going up that

[48:28] their income remains stagnant.

[48:30] These are things we need to

[48:32] take into consideration as we

[48:34] plan forward because it's all

[48:35] linked.

[48:35] It is all linked.

[48:37] You cannot take any of this

[48:39] problems or issues and deal

[48:40] with them in silos.

[48:40] Nd in our

[48:46] best interests to find ways to

[48:48] keep the elderly population in

[48:49] miami dade county moving.

[48:57] You need to be able to walk,

[48:58] it's better for them.

[49:00] We win in the end if we find

[49:02] ways to keep them moving so

[49:03] before we change these bus

[49:05] routes I'd like to sit down.

[49:09] >>chair: okay.

[49:09] Hold on.

[49:19] It's not superquick.

[49:21] Is he going to be superquick

[49:22] what she says?

[49:23] Does anybody think it's going

[49:25] to be superquick?

[49:26] >>commissioner regalado: you

[49:52] can tie me.

[49:53] >>commissioner regalado: maybe

[49:54] I was too subtle.

[49:56] I want you guys to consider

[49:58] metro connect should not be a

[50:00] say great cow because she needs

[50:01] to find money and if metro

[50:03] connect we are paying for it

[50:04] because we canceled bus routes

[50:06] and in order to continue we

[50:07] need to cancel bus routes.

[50:09] At some point we need to decide

[50:11] what is more important, the bus

[50:13] routes or the metro connect

[50:14] because the tail is wagging the

[50:16] dog again so we can increase

[50:18] the price, cut it,

[50:20] geographically limit it.

[50:21] >>commissioner bastien: we need

[50:24] to have these conversations.

[50:25] >>chair: my turn.

[50:27] I agree that we need to I think

[50:28] they called it the golden

[50:29] passport for the seniors.

[50:31] We need to keep it free.

[50:32] I know.

[50:33] >> 40% of our patrons pay

[50:35] nothing or half-price affairs.

[50:36] >> thank you.

[50:38] I think we need to keep that in

[50:40] place but then you probably

[50:41] need to look at raising the

[50:43] rates on other people.

[50:55] So you probably need to look at

[50:55] 50%.

[50:57] It is not a free ride.

[50:59] The ride is going to be paid

[50:59] for or subsidized.

[51:01] So the question is where you

[51:03] are going to get that subsidy

[51:03] from.

[51:05] What you're saying with metro

[51:06] connect is the same thing.

[51:08] If you provide a free ride on

[51:10] one else has to pay a little

[51:10] more.

[51:14] so I took rapid mass transit

[51:16] and transit to go to law

[51:16] school.

[51:18] I remember when it used to go

[51:19] up $0.10 and $0.15 and if you

[51:21] have years where it went up

[51:23] every year then you would never

[51:24] face a system that was so far

[51:25] out of balance.

[51:28] So what happens is for folks

[51:29] watching its basic stuff.

[51:32] The price of gas goes up.

[51:35] And we use gas in the buses.

[51:39] But the bus ride doesn't go up.

[51:44] So it's basically that simple.

[51:46] For people who want to take it

[51:52] a little further.

[51:54] Every year we will give a

[51:55] cost-of-living increase which

[51:57] we should do our people who

[51:58] operate transit.

[52:01] But the price, and we will give

[52:03] that because we should because

[52:04] the cost of living has gone up

[52:06] so to live here then they have

[52:07] to actually make more.

[52:09] Not unlike everyone else.

[52:13] But the price of the ride does

[52:16] not go up.

[52:19] In a cummins way.

[52:27] That's not fiscal

[52:28] responsibility.

[52:29] That's dishonesty.

[52:36] So the system is fundamentally

[52:38] not supporting itself.

[52:39] That aside, you're right.

[52:47] Rapid transit zones have

[52:48] increased.

[52:49] The tid, we know the pay

[52:50] increase on it.

[52:51] E allow

[52:52] people to do different sars and

[52:55] high density along the

[52:56] corridors, we can increase the

[52:58] taxable value, increase goes

[52:59] into the system.

[53:00] We understand that.

[53:02] You all last year came to me

[53:05] when you raided the tid and

[53:07] said we need to do it for this

[53:08] year and I thought you were

[53:10] being optimistic when you said

[53:10] that.

[53:12] We've got a plan, we're doing

[53:14] it this year but that was last

[53:28] year and this year you are

[53:30] raiding the tid again and I

[53:32] don't know that I'm going to be

[53:33] supportive because it places me

[53:35] in the position of doing what

[53:37] prior commissions have done

[53:38] when they make difficult

[53:39] decisions when they took the

[53:41] half-penny honest for rapid

[53:43] mass transit and used it to

[53:44] support a system.

[53:45] I don't begrudge them their

[53:47] situation, they were facing a

[53:49] situation where the county was

[53:50] broke, housing was in a

[53:51] freefall.

[54:01] They did the hard thing.

[54:03] But now we are faced with

[54:04] essentially the broken promises

[54:06] of the half-penny. So we have

[54:08] to live with the legacy of a

[54:10] broken promise at the

[54:11] half-penny. People do not

[54:12] understand the buses that they

[54:14] are able to ride on those buses

[54:16] they will do things because

[54:18] those commissioners made a very

[54:19] difficult decision.

[54:21] I understand that, I do not

[54:23] begrudge them their decision.

[54:24] It was difficult.

[54:26] It is difficult because you get

[54:28] to choose to do some hard

[54:29] things, it's a rock and a hard

[54:30] place.

[54:32] The question is what we are

[54:32] going to do.

[54:34] So we know at some point

[54:35] whether it's a dedicated

[54:49] millage, another halfpenny, a

[54:50] general obligation bond

[54:51] something has to fix the

[54:52] system.

[54:54] Not just operate the system,

[54:55] somebody has to fix the system.

[54:57] the money we have in

[54:58] maintenance that's behind,

[55:00] something has to fix the

[55:01] system.

[55:02] That's what I'm looking for

[55:04] from the administration and my

[55:06] colleagues before I leave.

[55:07] And if I end up going to

[55:09] congress you know I will fight

[55:09] for it.

[55:12] It means that much to be, this

[55:14] is the system that got me my

[55:15] law degree, took my system to

[55:16] our future.

[55:18] I want that opportunity to

[55:20] exist for young people going

[55:20] forward.

[55:22] But we have to come up with a

[55:22] plan.

[55:24] When I tell you this is not a

[55:26] sustainable orbit, it's not a

[55:32] sustainable orbit and there is

[55:33] a crash coming quickly for us.

[55:35] We are we are going to make

[55:37] some hard decisions about

[55:41] villages or cuts in services or

[55:43] terminations, there's some hard

[55:57] decisions coming our way.

[55:59] We can look at the budget that

[56:00] administration proposes and

[56:02] tread water but there's a point

[56:03] where you're treading water,

[56:05] you know you're not going

[56:07] forward but most people can

[56:09] tread water and they can tread

[56:10] water for an hour or two hours

[56:12] but this isn't the movie

[56:14] titanic, you eventually just

[56:14] drown.

[56:15] That's coming our way.

[56:17] So we know it's coming our way.

[56:19] It's undesirable it is not

[56:19] unforeseen.

[56:21] So when regalado talks about we

[56:23] have to have a plan, there's

[56:25] going to be a plan but

[56:26] everything has to be on the

[56:28] table, everything has to be on

[56:29] the table.

[56:38] So I don't know where we end up

[56:40] on the tid this year.

[56:41] What is likely that will happen

[56:43] from my perspective as I want

[56:45] that plan because if you're

[56:46] telling me I spent 18 months

[56:48] traveling up and down this

[56:49] county fighting with our

[56:51] residents about the rtz so that

[56:53] I could find funding that would

[56:55] eventually accumulate enough

[56:56] money to fund rapid mass

[56:58] transit but I did all that

[56:59] fighting so you all could take

[57:04] the money every year to support

[57:06] the system, that's problematic.

[57:08] Because now you're putting me

[57:10] in a situation where I've gone

[57:11] to those people, I've made

[57:13] those arguments you all are

[57:14] essentially making me into a

[57:15] liar.

[57:16] You all have been on the board

[57:18] with me when I started using

[57:19] the word liar, I can't do that.

[57:30] So that's my problem with

[57:31] raiding the tid, because we

[57:33] said something else.

[57:35] We said something else and when

[57:36] I said it it was true, this is

[57:41] what it was meant to do.

[57:42] So it was an emergency last

[57:44] year but every year can't be

[57:45] the same emergency.

[57:47] Every year can't be the same

[57:49] emergency so that my problem

[57:59] with it and that's a

[58:01] conversation.

[58:02] I'm going to need a plan so

[58:03] this is my notice to all of

[58:04] you.

[58:05] I'm going to need a plan.

[58:07] Last year I took your word you

[58:09] wouldn't do it again this year.

[58:11] All this stuff popped off, we

[58:12] lost more money in the

[58:13] legislature this year.

[58:15] We could stop asking, we know

[58:16] we are not getting it at this

[58:17] point.

[58:18] They are not going to help.

[58:20] we have to do it ourselves so

[58:22] let's figure out a plan to do

[58:22] it ourselves.

[58:26] >>commissioner regalado: with

[58:27] you 100%.

[58:29] That's why I started saying I

[58:30] appreciate the memo but I also

[58:49] think there is opportunity in

[58:50] other revenue sources.

[58:51] So I get it.

[58:52] You get a bond, increase the

[58:54] half-penny, we all know these

[58:55] things.

[58:56] But can you charge for the

[58:58] mover, can you put a trolley

[58:59] and get rid of baylink?

[59:01] Can you find other

[59:01] alternatives?

[59:18] Can we go back to the rtz and

[59:20] figure something out?

[59:21] I don't think there's one

[59:23] solution to all these problems.

[59:24] I think it has to be a

[59:25] collection of things.

[59:27] And we can start with those

[59:28] things.

[59:30] The problem is last year when I

[59:31] said let's charge for metro

[59:33] mover, it's going to take two

[59:34] years, somebody has an

[59:36] election, here we are again,

[59:37] it's an election year and by

[59:39] the time we have the

[59:41] conversation it will be another

[59:42] election year.

[59:43] I think we need to start on

[59:44] these things.

[59:46] And whatever it is at least

[59:47] it's a start.

[59:48] Nd look, I

[59:49] think we also I don't think we

[59:51] should have, putting aside the

[59:53] golden passport which we have.

[59:55] This concept of free transit,

[59:57] unless there's a hurricane or

[59:58] national emergency I don't

[1:00:00] think we should dispense with

[1:00:02] fairs and we've gotten into

[1:00:04] these arguments about fair

[1:00:05] suspension.

[1:00:06] i don't think we should.

[1:00:09] If there's an emergency, we

[1:00:10] suspend the fairs and if not we

[1:00:11] have to charge because we lose

[1:00:12] so much money.

[1:00:15] It's already so subsidized.

[1:00:16] We lose so much money so

[1:00:18] there's policy changes that

[1:00:19] need to be made so we can give

[1:00:22] you the flexibility to come

[1:00:23] back to us and say look, these

[1:00:24] are the different options but

[1:00:26] we also have to be honest that

[1:00:27] the politics of this thing and

[1:00:29] MR. CHAIRMAN I was with you.

[1:00:31] You and I took the blows for

[1:00:33] the rtz and I have to hear my

[1:00:35] residence say here's this

[1:00:37] density, where is the transit

[1:00:38] beyond what we already have?

[1:00:40] When projects come to my

[1:00:45] district I go above and beyond

[1:00:47] to try to get money for the

[1:00:48] stations, to get money to

[1:00:50] offset it so I'm not taking

[1:00:51] from the half-penny but not

[1:00:54] everybody does that.

[1:00:56] Some people are just like I

[1:00:58] will fix my station from the

[1:00:59] half-penny. We have to figure

[1:01:11] out a way to do it so there's

[1:01:13] some equity as we all try to

[1:01:15] make this work because it is to

[1:01:16] all our benefits to stretch the

[1:01:18] money we have as much as

[1:01:19] possible to oliver's point to

[1:01:21] get us as far into the smart

[1:01:22] plan as we can.

[1:01:24] But that's going to take a

[1:01:25] little bit of sacrifice.

[1:01:27] And I don't, I don't think

[1:01:28] there's one thing but this

[1:01:30] budget, we should at least have

[1:01:32] in the horizon one or two or

[1:01:33] three things.

[1:01:34] That's are going to start

[1:01:36] changing the conversation

[1:01:43] because if we read the tid this

[1:01:44] time what happens next year and

[1:01:46] we have an election year end

[1:01:47] the same thing and if we are

[1:01:49] going to do something I think

[1:01:51] we need to be honest about it.

[1:01:52] I don't think it's death by

[1:01:54] 1000 paper cuts which is what

[1:01:56] we're doing now that it's very

[1:01:57] reactive.

[1:01:58] >>commissioner bermudez: I

[1:02:00] agree, we have to have the

[1:02:01] discussion.

[1:02:08] The half penny went the wrong

[1:02:09] way from the beginning.

[1:02:11] None of us had anything to do

[1:02:13] with that but sadly it went the

[1:02:17] wrong way from the beginning.

[1:02:19] But I think when those

[1:02:20] decisions were made during the

[1:02:22] crisis of 2008 obviously people

[1:02:24] lost confidence because when

[1:02:27] you move use money you promise

[1:02:28] for something else the voters

[1:02:29] as you fool me once, you're not

[1:02:31] going to fool me again this is

[1:02:33] what we talk about when we talk

[1:02:34] about these tid dollars is we

[1:02:36] don't want to repeat that.

[1:02:38] The reason this county has been

[1:02:39] in a position with transit

[1:02:41] that's so difficult is because

[1:03:05] elected officials, transit

[1:03:06] takes 10 or 12 or 10 years

[1:03:08] before you see the results and

[1:03:09] that means you're not in office

[1:03:11] to benefit from the fruits of

[1:03:13] what happens but put that aside

[1:03:16] and make a difficult decision.

[1:03:17] I agree we need to have a plan.

[1:03:19] I will say I'm going to quote

[1:03:20] eisenhower, plans are useless

[1:03:23] but planning is essential.

[1:03:24] Everybody knows the plan MAY

[1:03:26] not be perfect but if you don't

[1:03:28] even start thinking about it

[1:03:30] and what I've seen here and I'm

[1:03:31] speaking for myself is a lot of

[1:03:33] plans that just sat there and

[1:03:34] then we talk about it and

[1:03:36] that's it, we don't even know

[1:03:38] and another plan comes along

[1:03:39] five years later on the same

[1:03:41] thing and that's not what

[1:03:42] eisenhower meant.

[1:03:44] Things change within that plan

[1:03:45] but you've got to be planning

[1:03:47] because if not there's going to

[1:03:48] be a problem.

[1:03:50] The CHAIRMAN You'll have me on

[1:03:52] your side if we tried to get

[1:03:54] this transparency and before

[1:03:56] you go I'll be happy to back

[1:03:57] you up because that's what I

[1:03:59] felt from the beginning and as

[1:04:01] far as commissioner regalado

[1:04:03] before I forget she starts to

[1:04:04] like me again and I want to

[1:04:06] wish her happy birthday so I

[1:04:08] won't be able to be here when

[1:04:09] she's here, early birthday to

[1:04:10] her.

[1:04:11] >>commissioner regalado: I

[1:04:13] don't get to share it with you,

[1:04:15] usually I met a bcc meeting

[1:04:16] with a cake.

[1:04:17] >>chair: darn.

[1:04:19] >>commissioner regalado: that's

[1:04:20] what happens when your birthday

[1:04:22] is so close to the budget

[1:04:22] break.

[1:04:24] >>chair: on the tid, when you

[1:04:32] are raiding the tid, why

[1:04:33] wouldn't it be a son?

[1:04:35] >> we had a similar

[1:04:36] conversation and mayor, asked

[1:04:38] the board to consider the gas

[1:04:40] tax and she was rejected.

[1:04:42] She asked the board to consider

[1:04:43] fairs to consider solving some

[1:04:46] of this in balance.

[1:04:56] That's why it was rated then

[1:04:58] and she's going to put out a

[1:04:59] budget that is not going to

[1:05:01] propose any tax increases or

[1:05:02] fare increases and the only way

[1:05:09] to make the imbalance is the

[1:05:09] tid.

[1:05:11] >>chair: you didn't actually

[1:05:13] answer the question, former

[1:05:14] trial attorney I'd like you to

[1:05:16] answer the question then you

[1:05:17] can go into the soliloquy.

[1:05:30] why is the raiding the tid not

[1:05:31] a loan from the tid to the

[1:05:32] general fund?

[1:05:34] Like last year you took the

[1:05:35] money, it's like strong arm

[1:05:37] robbery but the loan is you

[1:05:39] borrow the money.

[1:05:39] You can over time pay it back.

[1:05:41] I know when I was in miami

[1:05:43] gardens at one point before I

[1:05:45] got all the development getting

[1:05:47] the general fund had the I

[1:05:49] guess our version of our er, we

[1:05:51] had to loan them money but when

[1:05:53] I got development kicking they

[1:05:54] paid it back.

[1:05:56] Why are you taking it instead

[1:06:10] of borrowing it?

[1:06:12] >> we have not considered that,

[1:06:14] I've not had that discussion.

[1:06:15] I'm happy to have the

[1:06:15] discussion.

[1:06:17] I would point out the obvious

[1:06:19] challenge is we are so

[1:06:20] imbalanced now we don't have a

[1:06:22] path to breakeven much less pay

[1:06:24] something back but I didn't

[1:06:25] wouldn't be opposed to

[1:06:27] attempting a plan but the plan

[1:06:29] MAY include fare increases or

[1:06:31] implementing charges that

[1:06:33] historically we've not been

[1:06:33] allowed.

[1:06:35] >chair: but then you also

[1:06:36] don't know what happens.

[1:06:38] The challenge with the rtz when

[1:06:40] she talks about we need to look

[1:06:42] at what we can do with it we

[1:06:44] understand the challenge, that

[1:06:45] people in the corridor don't

[1:06:47] want to build density.

[1:06:48] So we've left the option for us

[1:06:50] to come back and oppose it if

[1:06:52] we want to so future boards

[1:06:53] can't impose that.

[1:06:55] But we haven't gone that route.

[1:06:57] Things will happen and there

[1:06:58] will be more money that comes

[1:07:00] in but the question just being

[1:07:02] even if we adjust the

[1:07:03] percentages of what comes from

[1:07:05] the tid there are things you

[1:07:07] can do in the future to reclaim

[1:07:09] some of that money if it's a

[1:07:09] loan.

[1:07:10] But if we're just giving it to

[1:07:11] you.

[1:07:12] And also it being a loan helps

[1:07:30] from my perspective because

[1:07:31] it's very difficult for me to

[1:07:33] reconcile the fact that I told

[1:07:35] people this would go into the

[1:07:36] fund that would help with rapid

[1:07:38] mass transit and I let you read

[1:07:38] it.

[1:07:40] Last year was an emergency, I

[1:07:42] explained but I can't explain

[1:07:44] an emergency two years in a

[1:07:45] row, that's a challenge so I

[1:07:47] don't like doing that.

[1:07:48] That is the challenge.

[1:07:50] Everyone here and everyone

[1:07:52] watching these are the candid

[1:07:54] conversations.

[1:08:10] That I have with the

[1:08:12] administration behind closed

[1:08:12] doors.

[1:08:14] We don't have an opportunity to

[1:08:16] speak behind closed doors but

[1:08:16] this is it.

[1:08:18] So I understand their need is

[1:08:19] actually pressing.

[1:08:22] It is not an insignificant or

[1:08:23] trifling need.

[1:08:24] There is an actual problem.

[1:08:26] They are solving a problem,

[1:08:27] this is the only way they think

[1:08:29] they can solve it because the

[1:08:33] board to your acknowledgment is

[1:08:34] not allowed you to raise fairs,

[1:08:36] I understand that.

[1:08:37] But two things can be true at

[1:08:38] the same time.

[1:08:40] That can be true and also one

[1:08:41] can be true as I told the

[1:08:43] resident if they pull this out

[1:08:45] and it goes into the tid you

[1:08:46] can bank money for rapid mass

[1:08:48] transit, that's true to.

[1:08:50] >>commissioner regalado: to

[1:08:52] follow-up, my cities it's been

[1:08:53] paid in full but they've

[1:08:55] managed our zoning permit coral

[1:08:57] gables created their own rtz

[1:08:58] overlay which we helped them

[1:09:00] create in their doing that.

[1:09:02] South miami meant our zoning so

[1:09:03] along the corridor I've asked

[1:09:05] our partners to suffer this

[1:09:07] density in the name of a

[1:09:08] comprehensive transit plan.

[1:09:10] So I agree with you, the

[1:09:11] question is what are our

[1:09:19] revenue sources in the future?

[1:09:20] Like what can we do?

[1:09:22] It's very difficult for me to

[1:09:24] go back to my residence and say

[1:09:26] you are suffering density along

[1:09:30] this corridor, you're building

[1:09:31] the tid and we are paying for

[1:09:33] people to have subsidized metro

[1:09:33] connect.

[1:09:35] The fact that we've spent 32

[1:09:37] million on that over the last

[1:09:38] four years, now they are paying

[1:09:40] something but it's still a huge

[1:09:41] subsidy.

[1:09:42] For someone in my corridor they

[1:09:46] are like, we would like to have

[1:09:48] transit that goes countywide,

[1:09:50] we are suffering the density

[1:09:52] but somewhere in that either

[1:09:56] someone is doing something

[1:09:56] else.

[1:09:57] I'll give you an example.

[1:09:59] At tri-rail we got fdot money

[1:10:01] to do first and last mile and

[1:10:08] contracted with uber and my

[1:10:09] board wanted to do something

[1:10:11] similar and I was against it.

[1:10:13] Instead of subsidizing the full

[1:10:15] ride we gave people a five

[1:10:16] dollar credit if they were

[1:10:25] going to go beyond five dollars

[1:10:26] that was on them, not me.

[1:10:27] It's insane that we do it the

[1:10:29] other way around so we are

[1:10:30] having the user pay 350

[1:10:31] subsidized what the difference

[1:10:33] is irrespective of what the

[1:10:35] difference is even at tri-rail

[1:10:37] we did this for a year.

[1:10:38] We follow the mystics, and when

[1:10:40] it came back and we looked at

[1:10:42] what we were investing versus

[1:10:44] what we were getting we decided

[1:10:46] to give the money back to fdot

[1:10:48] and canceled it and only kept

[1:10:50] ourselves at the airport which

[1:10:52] was not an easy thing to do.

[1:10:53] You can invert metro connect

[1:10:55] and say this is the line item,

[1:10:57] this is what we are doing.

[1:11:21] We will give you a credit and

[1:11:22] you deal with the rest.

[1:11:24] Or you can shrink the geography

[1:11:26] of it so that is meeting its

[1:11:26] needs.

[1:11:28] But the reason we are in this

[1:11:30] conversation is because we

[1:11:31] canceled bus routes and now

[1:11:33] we're going to subsidized metro

[1:11:34] connect so we can cancel more

[1:11:35] bus routes?

[1:11:37] Then what do we do, come back

[1:11:38] and say we need more metro

[1:11:40] connect to deal with the

[1:11:41] canceled bus routes?

[1:11:42] It's madness.

[1:11:44] So I think we should look into

[1:11:46] some sort of mechanism that

[1:11:47] brings the money back in order

[1:11:49] to do that we need to have a

[1:11:51] conversation about revenue

[1:11:52] generation and that means

[1:11:54] putting a pin in some of these

[1:11:54] things.

[1:11:56] We've got a tourniquet here and

[1:11:57] we're bleeding out.

[1:11:59] And we need to be honest about

[1:12:01] our priorities are and those

[1:12:02] priorities should be buses, we

[1:12:05] should prioritize buses over

[1:12:05] alternatives to buses.

[1:12:07] Then we need to figure out what

[1:12:09] we are actually building and

[1:12:10] what we are doing.

[1:12:12] And how we can get some easy

[1:12:13] wins in terms of transit and I

[1:12:15] think we can do some of that in

[1:12:17] the next few months as we look

[1:12:19] into this budget and create

[1:12:21] some revenue generation.

[1:12:23] >>chair: to the attorney, do we

[1:12:25] have language, you can read to

[1:12:33] us and see if we can bring the

[1:12:33] item.

[1:12:35] >> the motion would be too

[1:12:41] amend item 1g1 to provide

[1:12:52] municipal circulator service be

[1:12:53] operated until such vehicles

[1:12:55] reach 20 model years of age.

[1:12:57] He change would only apply to

[1:12:59] municipal circulator vehicles

[1:13:01] and not fixed road vehicles in

[1:13:03] reference to 350,000 miles will

[1:13:13] be stricken from the ordinance.

[1:13:15] >>commissioner regalado: the

[1:13:16] city of miami's issue is

[1:13:18] because remember this was from

[1:13:20] coral gables, coral gables has

[1:13:21] short routes so their mileage

[1:13:23] is low.

[1:13:24] City of miami travels a lot

[1:13:25] more, their mileage is high

[1:13:27] they are less than 20 years old

[1:13:29] so if we take out the 350,000

[1:13:30] mileage issue it's good with

[1:13:31] the city of miami.

[1:13:34] I want to make sure it doesn't

[1:13:35] impact us so if it's

[1:13:36] municipalities.

[1:13:38] >> with this change it would

[1:13:40] apply to municipal circulators.

[1:13:42] >>chair: show the item amended

[1:13:43] and I will need a motion.

[1:13:43] S

[1:13:46] amended, seconded by bermudez,

[1:13:48] ordinance or right resolution?

[1:13:49] Call the roll.

[1:13:51] >>commissioner bastien:

[1:13:54] >>commissioner bermudez: yes.

[1:13:55] >>commissioner regalado: yes as

[1:13:56] amended.

[1:13:57] >>chair:

[1:13:59] >> motion passes unanimously.

[1:14:01] >>commissioner regalado: I need

[1:14:08] to move 2a to our next bcc

[1:14:09] because of the gap.

[1:14:09] 'm happy

[1:14:15] to draft the memo.

[1:14:17] 2a is a interlocal agreement

[1:14:19] between miami dade county and

[1:14:21] the village of key biscayne for

[1:14:22] the e bikes.

[1:14:25] Perfect, thank you.

[1:14:33] >> I'd like to add request 3k

[1:14:35] to advance and we will draft a

[1:14:38] memo for your consideration.

[1:14:39] >>commissioner regalado:

[1:14:44] please, pretty please.

[1:14:45] JULY.

[1:14:46] And I'm committed to helping

[1:14:50] transit while you are gone,

[1:14:51] committed.

[1:14:53] >>commissioner bermudez: the

[1:14:55] letters say she has committed

[1:14:56] to helping transit because all

[1:14:58] of us are committed to helping

[1:15:00] transit while you are gone,

[1:15:03] she's trying to butter you up.

[1:15:05] >>chair: I credit stacy with

[1:15:06] this, she called at 7:41 in the

[1:15:13] morning pleading this case.

[1:15:15] >> you don't answer my calls at

[1:15:30] 7:41 but you answer hers?

[1:15:32] >>chair: is called caller id,

[1:15:34] she calls a lot less frequently

[1:15:35] than you do so you can wait

[1:15:37] until 10, she's calling at 7:41

[1:15:39] it is a pressing issue, I might

[1:15:41] have a bus on fire if she calls

[1:15:41] at 7:41.

[1:15:43] I guess we will move it ahead.

[1:15:45] You've got to draft a memo.

[1:15:46] Happy birthday but let's

[1:15:48] remember that CHAIRMAN's office

[1:15:49] has to approve this.

[1:15:51] I'm just recommending it, thank

[1:15:52] you all.

[1:15:54] So anything additional?

[1:15:56] Need a motion to adjourn.

[1:16:27] Show us adjourned, thank you.

Transportation Committee

Agenda

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